Automobile-lock and ignition-system tester.



G. M. & H- H. SCOTT.

AUTOMOBILE LOCK AND IGNITION SYSTEM TESTER.

APPLICATIONFILED APR. 8. I916.

1,262,704. Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

1121 561 3 E ,ywza, W W 4 Z4651 life/ 1% GEORGE M. SCOTT AND HERBERT SCOTT, 0F CHICAGO ILLINOIS.

AUTOMOBILE-LOCK AND IGNITION-SYSTEM TESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented a t. 16, 1918.

Application filed April 8, 1916. Serial No. 89,947.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that we, GEORGE M. SooTT and HERBERT H. SCOTT, subjects of the King of Great Britain, and residents of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have jointly invented a new and useful Automobile-Lock and Ignition-System Tester, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relatesto improvements in automobile accessories, the present invention being designed for use in connection with automobiles to serve as an effective lock against starting of the engine, and at the same time as an eflicient means for readily and easily locating the defective ignition circuit in the event of fouling of one or more of the cylinders of the engine.

The object of our invention is the production of a device of this character which will be of durable and economical construction and highly efficient in use.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompan in drawing forming a part of this speci cation, and in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view, in dotted lines, of the front end portion of an automobile equipped with a device embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a partially sectional top plan view of the device detached,

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the device, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the locking plate of the device detached.

, The preferred form of construction, as illustrated in the drawing, comprises a rectangular block or body 6 of insulating material which is mounted in a suitable metallic housing 7 which is adapted, when the device is in use, to be secured upon the dash board of the automobile in connection with which the deviceis employed.

In one side of the block 6 is provided a plurality of spaced contact members 9 of conducting material which are threaded into said block. The outer ends of said members 9 are perforated as at 10 for the connection therewith of theconductor Wires of the ignition circuits of the automobile in connection with which the device is used. Tubular guards 11 of insulating material inclose the outerends of contact members 9 which serve an obvious purpose.

Slidably mounted in the opposite side of the block 6 in axial alinement with the contact members 9 are exteriorly projecting plungers 12 of insulating material, the inner ends 13 of said plungers 12 being formed of conducting material and being recessed at their inner terminals for the reception of terminal members 14 which are yieldingly connected with the end portions 13 by means of helical compression springs 15. In the' depression of plungers 12, terminal members 14 are adapted to engage with the contacts 9, the yielding connection of the members 14 with the plunger .portions 13 insuring constant connection of the same With the contacts 9 in the depression of said plungers. The plunger portions 13 project through a perforated plate 16 of conducting material, said plate 16 being electrically connected with the housing 7, which inturn is suitably grounded, as illustrated at 16'.

VVith this arrangement, it will be seen, that the plunger portions 13 are constantly grounded, and so that upon engagement thereof with the contacts 9, the latter will also be grounded.

The plungers are normally held at their outer terminals of movementby means of helical compression springs 17, said plungers being adapted to be locked in depressed positions or at their inner terminals of movement by means ofa plate 18 which is shiftably mounted in housing7. Said plate 18 is formed with key-hole slots 19 through which the plungers project, the reduced portions of said slots, when said plungers are at their inner terminals of movement being adapted for engagement with circumferential grooves 20 provided in said plungers, as clearly shown in the several views. The plate 18 is formed at one end with an exteriorly projecting handle 21 for effecting shifting of the same, the opposite end of -said plate being formed with a flange 22 adapted for engagement by a bolt 23 of a lock 24 whereby said pla'te may be locked in operative or locking position, relative to the plungers 12. The lock 24 is of conventional type, being operable by means of a to the spark plugs 27 thereof.

key which will be carried by the driver of the automobile upon which the device is used.

in using the device. the same is interposed in the ignition circuits of the engine of the automobile, the contact members 9 being connected with the conductor wires 25 or said ignition circuits which extend from the terminals of the magneto 26 of the vehicle Zach of said contact members 9 is of course connected with the conductor wires ot one pair of terminals, that is one terminal of the magneto and one terminal of one of the spark plugs. With-this arrangement, it will be seen that when the plungers of the device are in normal or outward position. the. current from the magneto will flow on uninterruptedly to the spark plugs. By simply depressing said plungers. however, it. will be seen that any of the circuits from the magneto may be grounded, it being clear that in the event of depression of any of said plungers. when the current from the magneto reaches the corresponding contact 9, instead of said current proceeding on to the spark plug, the same will follow the course of least resistance and in so doing will pass through the depressed plunger to the plate 16 and thus be grounded. Thus, it will be seen, that any one of the spark plugs may be cut out, n'iaking itpossible, through a process of elimination, to locate the fouling spark plug, or spark plugs, in case of ignition trouble with the engine. it, will be seen that such testing may be readily and expeditiously eti'ected by the automobile driver from his seat in the vehicle by simply depressing the various plungers.

\Yhen it is desired to lock the engine against operation, itis only necessary to depress all of the. plungers and then shift the plate 18 to operative position and lock he latter by means of the iock When his is done. it will be seen that all of the gnition circuits of the engine cylinders will be grounded, rendcringit inipossibie to at all start the engine.

While we have illustrated and r the prct'errcd form of construction tor carrying our invention into etiect. this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. We, therefore, do not wish to be limited to thc precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

The combination with an internal conibustion engine, with a cut-out device interposed in the ignition circuits of the engine between the terminals of the source of electrical energy and the spark plugs of the engine. said device comprising a block of insulatin material provided with a pinrality oi" transverse parallel passage ways, plugs threaded in one end said passage ways and to which the wires of the circuit are attached, depressible plungers mounted in the opposite ends of said passage ways and adapted upon depression to engage said plugs, a ground plate in constant engagement. with said piungers and means for locking said plunger-s in depressed position, substantially as described.

Iii testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE M. SCOTT. HERBERT SCOTT.

Witnesses:

Josue. R. H. Po'r'rs, TTELEN I LILLIS. 

